Rogue Alliance
by Jedi Master Karzon
Summary: Shepard has awoken once more after being spaced. Working with a terrorist organisation by the name of Cerberus, she intends to stop the Collectors from abducting human colonists. But the galaxy she has awoken to is not the same as the one she died in. Things have changed and not necessarily for the better... (AU post-Shepard's death)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello there, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, I am starting another story. Yes, that is probably a bad idea. Yes, you are welcome to hate me for it. No, you may not moan to me about it in reviews (unless you're also saying something nice/useful). This is just a little idea that's been floating around inside my head for a while now. There will be elements from other franchises (mainly Halo) but not enough to warrant a crossover in my opinion. Also, I've upgraded the Alliance military. It is bigger than in canon (hence the use of the Halo military structure).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you see here except my ideas. Actually, do I own them? I don't the voices are claiming I don't.**

**2185CE, Unknown Cerberus Station**

Commander Jane Joanna Shepard stepped out of the comm. room with Jeff "Joker" Moreau, having just finished her most recent discussion with the Illusive Man, leader of Cerberus. As they reached the top of the stairs, alarms started to blare. Shepard ran over to Miranda Lawson and Jacob Taylor, Joker hobbling after her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I don't know. The alarms just started going off, I'm trying to find out why," Miranda responded, typing away at her computer.

"Who would attack this station? Officially, there's nothing of note here," Jacob asked.

"Maybe they are?" Joker suggested, pointing out of the window.

The others turned in time to see a pair of fighters race by the window. Further out, a pair of Systems Alliance frigates could be seen floating in blockade positions.

"We need to leave, now," Miranda stated, moving toward the door.

However, before she could reach it, the door opened in an explosive fashion. Miranda was knocked a few metres back by the explosion, landing heavily on her back. Before the others could react, a dozen figures charged through the doorway. They were dressed head-to-toe in black armour, unlike any the group had seen before. The visors of their helmets were blue and polarised, reflecting their own faces back at them. On the left side of the chest plate, was a navy blue rendition of the Systems Alliance emblem, barely visible on the black armour. On the left shoulder was a white hexagon with two prongs on top with a black, flaming skull in the centre and with a banner across the bottom with the letters ODST. The other shoulder had a Chinese character stencilled on in white.

"GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES! HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEADS!" one of the soldiers ordered.

Miranda, Jacob and Joker complied almost immediately but Shepard didn't.

"Who are you?" Shepard challenged.

Without warning, one of the soldiers that had looped behind them stepped forward and kicked Shepard in the back of the knee. As she fell, the soldier grabbed her wrists, forcing them awkwardly above her head. Joker started to rise until one of the soldiers stepped forward, assault rifle trained on his head. One of the soldiers stepped forward and scanned Shepard with their omnitool. They looked toward one of the others and nodded once. The one in question nodded in return before pointing to the other three and then the door. The soldier behind Shepard released her wrists, causing her to fall forward slightly. Most of the soldiers left with the three, leaving Shepard with the apparent leader and the one who had been holding her arms.

"Commander Shepard, I'm Major Alexander Carlisle. Sorry about the harsh treatment, had to be sure it was you," the Major said, turning to leave.

"Like I said, who are you?" Shepard asked, falling into step beside him while the other followed them.

"We're members of the 105th Shock Troopers Division, also known as the ODSTs or Helljumpers. Come on, we'll head back to the _SSV Edinburgh_ and get you up to speed," Carlisle told her.

_**SSV Edinburgh**_

The inside of the cruiser looked a lot different from what Shepard remembered. It seemed a lot barer, with far more focus on functionality as opposed to aesthetics. Carlisle led her through the ship, their escort wandering off soon after they boarded. After a brief walk, they stepped into a briefing room where a hologram of Steven Hackett was waiting for them. Hackett was dressed, as ever, in his Alliance uniform, sidearm holstered on his right thigh. As they entered, Carlisle pulled his helmet off, revealing short, dark hair, brown eyes and a pair of parallel scars running vertically across his left eye. Once they stopped, both saluted.

"Fleet Admiral, Major Carlisle reporting. As you can see, we found Shepard," Carlisle told the other man.

"So I can see. Thank you, Major, you're dismissed. Return to your work," Hackett ordered.

The Major saluted, turned on his heel and walked out of the room, replacing his helmet on the way.

"Sir, what's going on?" Shepard asked.

"Please drop the 'sir'. It's good to see you again, JJ," Hackett commented, looking her over.

"Yeah well, I wasn't expecting to see you again either," Shepard remarked, relaxing.

"No, I suppose not," Hackett mused, chuckling.

He paused before leaning forward onto an unseen rail.

"Now then, I imagine you have a lot of questions. Go ahead, I'll answer what I can," Hackett told her.

For the next hour, Hackett told Shepard about the state of the galaxy. He told her of how, months after her death, Cerberus had lost files showing high-ranking Alliance officials such as the Vice President, the Defence Committee and Ambassador Udina had ties to Cerberus. He told her of how, as a result, the Systems Alliance had withdrawn from the Citadel entirely. He told her of the Alliance's military build up due to the loss of Citadel military support or restrictions. He told her of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and their trial of fire during the Second Battle of Elysium. He told her of the ongoing war with the Batarian Hegemony. He told her of their ongoing campaign against Cerberus.

"I think that's everything important. If you need any more information, let someone know or check the extranet," Hackett instructed.

"Right then, I'll just hang around here for now then," Shepard joked.

"Good. Stay out of trouble, hard though you'll find that. Also, check in with your mother, otherwise she'll murder us both," Hackett ordered with a slight grimace.

"Yessir, Uncle Steven, sir," Shepard responded, saluting.

"Go to hell, JJ. Hackett out," the Alliance military leader concluded before his hologram vanished.

**Unknown Former Cerberus Station**

A few days after the Alliance's capture of the station, Shepard and Joker walked into an observation room accompanied by two ODSTs, who moved to either side of the door once they entered. Sitting on one of the benches in the room was Fleet Admiral Hackett, perusing the datapad in his hands. As they entered, he stood up, putting the datapad down.

"Jane Shepard, Jeff Moreau, thank you for joining me. I have an offer for the two of you," Hackett told them.

The two former colleagues looked at each other, confused.

"I'm willing to reinstate you both at your former ranks as well as provide you with funds, resources and whatever else you need. In exchange, I want you to run a mission for me," Hackett explained.

"What kind of mission?" Shepard asked.

"Something that most would call a suicide mission. However, if there's anyone that can pull it of, it's you two. I want you to hit the Collector's at their home, through the Omega 4 Relay. I'll provide you with whatever you need to do it," Hackett elaborated.

"With all due respect, great job offer, sir. Join us again and go on a suicide mission," Joker commented.

"Well, it's either that or you can sit in a cell for an unspecified length of time for working with terrorists," Hackett pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm in, sir," Joker quickly agreed.

"Me too," Shepard agreed.

"Glad to hear it. Of course, you're going to need a ship. We figured we'd give you this one," Hackett deadpanned, pointing out of the window.

As they watched, lights started coming on, revealing a ship. The ship looked like a larger, modified version of the _SSV Normandy SR1_.

"I figured you could name her. I'll see you onboard shortly," Hackett said as he left.

_**SSV Normandy SR2**_

As Shepard and Joker stepped onto the new _Normandy_, Hackett met them.

"This vessel is almost identical to the original but bigger and with some additions. More firepower, better shielding and better armour improve her combat capabilities. More space inside means that you don't have to worry about space quite so much. We've swept the ship seven times as well as twice with the assistance of some engineers who helped build it. Every single bug is gone," Hackett explained.

Before the pair could respond, a nearby holographic emitter flared to life. A blue sphere, 'supported' by a thin neck, with a vertical 'mouth' filled with horizontal blue lines appeared.

"Incorrect, Fleet Admiral. A number of bugs are still active. Your sweeps must have missed them. I can direct you to them if you would like," a feminine, computerised voice offered.

As the voice spoke, the horizontal lines fluctuated, giving the illusion of a moving mouth.

"You were cleared for duty then?" Hackett asked, cautiously, much to Shepard and Joker's confusion.

"Indeed. The technicians assigned to modify my systems reinstalled me a few minutes ago. I have run a full scan of the ship and found no problems besides a few active bugs," the voice replied.

"In that case, Commander, Flight Lieutenant, allow me to introduce the Enhanced Defence Intelligence, also known as EDI. She's the ship's AI," Hackett introduced.

"An AI?" sneered Joker, sceptical.

"Indeed, Flight Lieutenant Moreau. However, I do not pilot the ship. I operate the cyberwarfare suites and offer analysis and assistance where necessary," the voice explained.

Joker didn't look convinced but Hackett moved on before he could complain.

"We've taken a look at the dossiers the Illusive Man put together and we agree with them. If you get them together, they're yours. Miss Lawson and Mister Taylor will be joining you, as will Lance Corporals Malcolm Sinclair and Emma Frost of the ODSTs. I've looked them over and I would suggest going after Doctor Solus first," Hackett told them.

Hackett began to leave but he turned before he reached the airlock.

"Also, Commander, you are in charge here. You report directly to me and only to me. Your orders come from me and me alone. Are we clear?" Hackett asked.

"Sir! Yes, sir!" Shepard responded, snapping a salute.

"Good. Flight Lieutenant Moreau, you're the ship's executive officer. If you're having trouble with paperwork and the like, get EDI to do it for you," Hackett advised.

"Yes, sir!" Joker responded, saluting as best he could.

"Wait until the two troopers arrive and then you're cleared to leave. Good luck," Hackett concluded before leaving.

A few minutes after Hackett left, Miranda and Jacob walked in, accompanied by two others. The male of the two was slightly shorter than average but very muscular, had dark brown, almost black, hair that was cut incredibly short, green eyes that almost seemed to glow and a smirk that looked like it never left his face. The woman, however, was tall and slim, had very light blonde hair in a pixie cut, extremely blue eyes and a completely neutral expression. Both were dressed in Alliance uniforms with the ODSTs' logo on the left shoulder. As soon as they spotted Shepard, both soldiers snapped to attention.

"Ma'am, Lance Corporals Emma Frost and Malcolm Sinclair, reporting for duty," the man snapped, with a hint of a Scottish accent in his voice.

"At ease. Go get settled, all of you. We're leaving for Omega in one minute," Shepard informed them.

Miranda nodded and walked off while the other three snapped off salutes before leaving. Jacob went to the armoury to maintain the guns while the others stepped into the lift. When Shepard approached the lift, EDI informed her that the two soldiers were in the forward cargo bay while Miranda was in her office. After visiting the other people onboard (including, to Shepard's surprise, Doctor Chakwas), she went toward the door to the forward cargo bay, opposite the lift on the engineering deck. After a brief walk along a hallway, she entered the cargo bay.

The cargo bay no longer resembled a cargo bay; instead it looked like a gym. Punch bags hung from the ceiling while bench presses, treadmills, weights and training mats were scattered all over the floor as well as one wall being covered with various guns. As Shepard came in, Sinclair was throwing punches at one of the punch bags while Frost was on one of the bench presses. The man was clad only in black workout trousers while his female counterpart was wearing a white tank top and white workout trousers. Sinclair turned from his training as she walked in, grabbing a nearby towel and wiping himself off once. Frost didn't give any indication of knowing Shepard was there, her neutral expression still present.

Given their state of undress, Shepard was able to spot numerous scars scattered across their bodies as well as the ODSTs' emblem tattooed onto their left shoulder. A pair of dog tags hung each of their necks, identical to those of any other Alliance soldier. Shepard spotted their armour on two mannequins in the corner of the room.

"Can we help you with something, Commander?" Sinclair asked.

"I was just wanting to check in make sure you had everything," Shepard told him.

"Yeah, we're good. We're off duty right now so we're just relaxing," Sinclair explained.

"Relaxing, huh?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yup. We're just making sure we're still in shape and aren't about to go out of shape anytime soon," Sinclair commented with a shrug.

"Malcolm, please keep in mind that the Commander is not an ODST. I doubt she considers working out to be relaxation," the smooth, British voice of Frost cut into the conversation.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, ma'am. Just used to the ODSTs' way of life. It's sometimes hard to remember that not everyone has the same standard. No offence," he added quickly.

"None taken. What's it like being an ODST?" Shepard asked, curious.

"Fuckin' awesome! We get the hardest missions, the toughest enemies and the best equipment. And as for the drops, they are beyond fun," Sinclair began.

"You mean the drops from orbit, right?" Shepard interrupted.

"Yes, he does. Of course, it is very risky to drop in an HEV. If they malfunction… well, let us say there is a reason why it is sometimes said that the ODSTs 'come in their coffin'," Frost remarked with a slight smirk, still not leaving the bench press.

"Cheery," Shepard commented.

"Quite," the other woman responded.

"Anything else we can help you with, Commander?" Sinclair asked.

"Not at the-," Shepard said.

"Shepard, we are approaching Omega. ETA: ten minutes," EDI interrupted over the intercom.

"Thank you, EDI. Get ready; you're coming with me and the two Cerberus people," Shepard told the soldiers.

"Yes, ma'am," both responded immediately, Sinclair saluting.

**Omega Station**

Shepard stepped out of the _Normandy_, followed by her four-man team. As they walked along the hallway, a salarian approached.

"Ah! Welcome to Omega! You're new here, aren't you? I can always tell. Allow me to- Oh… Hello, Moklan! I was just-" the salarian began to explain as a batarian approached.

"Leave, Fargut. Now," was all the batarian said.

"Of course, Moklan! Whatever She wants!" the salarian responded, saluting.

He turned and ran when the batarian raised a hand and stepped forward. The batarian turned to them.

"Welcome to Omega, Shepard," the batarian said.

"You know who I am?" Shepard asked.

"Of course. Even if the Alliance hadn't told us you were coming, we would have tagged you as soon as you entered the Terminus. But that's beside the point. Aria wants to speak with you so get moving to Afterlife," the batarian told her.

"I don't have time to speak with criminals," Shepard retorted.

"You do not have a choice, Commander. T'Loak rules Omega. If we do not do what she wants, she might kick the Alliance out. I do not know the details but I know the Alliance had a hard time getting the treaty in the first place," Frost explained as the batarian left.

"So now the Alliance is cutting deals with criminals?" Shepard asked, appalled.

"Yeah. However, in this case, it's the lesser of two evils. Having Aria on our side gives us a great deal of freedom and control within the Terminus. It's funny really; the Council wanted the Alliance to act as a buffer between them and the Terminus and potentially one day control the Terminus. Now that we're not part of the Council, we've managed to do more to bring the Terminus into line than any government has ever done before. Not even the Batarian Hegemony had this much control, ever," Sinclair pointed out, sounding slightly gleeful at the fact.

"Let's go speak to Aria then," Shepard groaned.

**Systems Alliance Shipyards over Arcadia, Athens System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

"Admiral, thank you for joining us. As I mentioned in my message, the first vessel is nearing completion. In a few moments, the final checks will be run and then she'll be launched. The others are also on schedule," the head of the shipyard explained.

Hackett nodded as they walked down the corridor, accompanied by a pair of ODSTs.

"Good, because in one hour half the Cabinet is arriving. They want to know what we've been doing here. They're bringing the press," Hackett said, grimacing.

The other man winced.

"I'll have an observation deck prepared for the unveiling in that case," he told the Admiral, sending a message to his second-in-command.

The group came to a stop at a window and Hackett turned to his companion. For the next hour, the two discussed the projects at the shipyard and planned the unveiling. When the Cabinet arrived with the press in tow, they were led to an observation deck that would be used for the impromptu press conference. Hackett stood with his back to the polarised window, facing the two rows of chairs. The Cabinet members were led to the front row while the journalists were directed to the back row with a few cameras floating around. Once they were all seated, Hackett began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Arcadia Shipyards. It has recently become the subject of much debate just why the Navy has been pouring resources into these shipyards. I've heard rumours ranging from the sensible, such as the construction of the Eleventh Fleet, to the ridiculous, such as a moon-sized space station capable of destroying planets. Here and now, I am going to show you what we've been doing.

"For a while now, we've been trying to find a way to get the upper hand against the Hegemony. Going into this war, their fleets outnumbered us by almost 3:1. Over time, we've managed to reduce that to just under 3:2. Now, however, comes the defining moment of the war. This is where the vessels that shall end the war and secure the Alliance's safety are being constructed.

"For nearly two hundred years, the galaxy has seen the Destiny Ascension as the height of naval power. It was seen as the largest vessel that could be built, as the singular most powerful vessel built by organics that would ever grace the stars. As of today, that is no longer true. Ladies and gentlemen, the _SSV Valiant_, the first of the _Valiant_-class Supercarriers," Hackett concluded with a flourish.

Behind him, the window depolarised, giving the group a view of the vessel outside. The vessel was parallel to the window, showing the group its port side. The main body was similar to other Alliance vessels, comprising a long cuboid with a front that slanted inward as it went down. A pair of barrels protruded from the front of the vessel, one above the other. Two 'wings' from the lower corners on the back of the ship, extending a short distance behind the vessel and almost to the bow. The vessel was mostly white with a blue stripe running the length of the vessel on either side as well as the edge of the wings. On the side of the vessel, in large white letters on the blue stripe, was the name '_SSV Valiant_'. As the group continued to gaze out at the vessel, Hackett resumed speaking.

"The _Valiant_-class boasts two main guns, each with twice the firepower of a standard dreadnought, as well as almost three hundred GARDIAN turrets and two hundred of the new Archer Missile Pods. They also carry the same number of forces and fighters as a standard carrier, allowing them to win a small battle alone. The main body of the vessel reaches up to nearly four hundred metres high and is just over two hundred and fifty metres wide. From end to end, including guns and wings, the vessel measures exactly 2,132 metres making it the largest known vessel, larger even than Saren Arterius' flagship."

"I'm sorry, Admiral, but I could have sworn you said '2,132 metres'. The _Destiny Ascension_ is only 936 metres in length and 1,209 metres tall and it has been shown that no larger vessel can be made," an asari reporter interrupted him.

"Indeed. We thought so as well. Then we saw _Sovereign_. _Sovereign_ showed that the _Destiny Ascension_ was not the limit; larger vessels were possible. Our top people set about designing a bigger ship almost immediately, even before the Cerberus Incident. Soon we had theories on how to make it work, possible designs and even thoughts on its role in the Alliance. In the end, the _Valiant_-class Supercarrier was chosen because, unlike most of the other designs, it served multiple functions."

"Admiral, you keep talking about the '_Valiant_-class'. Does this mean you intend to build more of them?" a human reporter asked.

"We not only intend to, we are. The _SSV Perseverance_ and the _SSV Dauntless_ will be fielded within a year while the _SSV Resolute, SSV Incorruptible _and _SSV Defiant_ will be completed within the next half-decade at the current rate of construction. Our aim is to, one day in the future, make a _Valiant_-class Supercarrier the flagship of every fleet in the Alliance. That day is still far off however, so until then the _Valiant_-class shall act as support vessels, aiding whichever fleet needs them."

"Admiral, what do you say to those that will inevitably say that the Alliance is becoming too powerful?" a human woman asked.

"I say that we are doing what we must. As we are no longer a part of the Citadel, by our own choice, we cannot rely on the Citadel fleets for protection or even assistance. As a result, we need fleets capable of securing our territory, of keeping us safe from anything that attempts to attack us. Only those who attack the Systems Alliance or those allied with it need concern themselves with our guns turning on them. I don't want to fight a war, none of us do, but if forced into it, as with the ongoing war with the Hegemony, we will use every weapon at our disposal to bring the war to a swift end."

"You mentioned the war with the Hegemony. How do you think this new vessel will affect the war?" a turian reporter asked.

"If we're lucky, the Hegemony will take one look at the _Valiant_ and ask to negotiate. However, I find that highly unlikely. Far more likely is that they will attempt to destroy her. However, I have faith that Captain Lasky is more than capable of keeping the ship intact, even without support from other vessels. Either way, the _Valiant_ will help to bring this war to an end. If the war is still not over in seven months, the _SSV Perseverance_ will join the war. Five months later, the _SSV Dauntless_ will be launched. If two Supercarriers haven't finished the war, then three most certainly will."

"Admiral, what is your stance on the treaty with Aria T'Loak of Omega?" the asari asked.

"Given that I was responsible for it, I think you can guess. The Terminus Systems have never been brought into line. The Council doesn't dare interfere for fear of a united retaliation. The Hegemony has tried to rule it through fear and control of pirates and slavers, which never truly worked. Aria T'Loak controls Omega, which gives her significant sway over the rest of the Terminus. With T'Loak on our side, the Alliance is untouchable on Omega and almost untouchable by pirates and slavers. At least, those that still want to be welcome on Omega. In exchange, we help T'Loak keep Omega under control and, should someone ever attempt to take over Omega, we would aid T'Loak in its defence. The exchange of intelligence is also most useful, to both sides. Personally, I think that we are in a very good situation on that front. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to return to the _Orizaba_. Good day, ladies and gentlemen."

Hackett carefully pushed through the group before leaving the room. As he exited the room, his two ODST bodyguards fell into step with him. Once he had returned to the _Orizaba_, he went to the nearest secure Communications Room. Typing in a few quick commands, a hologram appeared before him. The man before him looked to be in his forties, with the slightest hints of grey appearing among his brown hair. A sidearm was holstered on his right thigh, a habit learned from Hackett, and Captain's insignia were pinned on his chest.

"Admiral, what can I do for you?" Captain Thomas Lasky, commanding officer of the _SSV Valiant_, asked as he saluted.

"Captain Lasky, you're joining me and the Fifth Fleet for your first deployment as Captain of the _Valiant_. The target is the batarian shipyard at Maras, in the Hades Nexus. With most of the Hegemony fleets either deployed elsewhere or at Khar'Shan, it should be a relatively easy target. The _Einstein_ will be joining us," Hackett informed the other man.

"Understood, sir. If I may, how is Captain Shepard doing?" Lasky asked, referring to his former XO.

"She's coping. It looks like she'll do a good job, no doubt thanks to you," Hackett remarked to the former Captain of the _Orizaba_.

"Glad to hear it. Ready when you are, sir," Lasky reported.

"Alright then. Fall in behind the _Orizaba_ and let's go. See you on the other side. Hackett out," Hackett said before leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Next chapter! Before anyone complains; yes, the **_**SSV Valiant**_** is the equivalent of the **_**UNSC Infinity**_**. Also, in the case of a lot of the vehicles, look them up in relation to Star Wars. Additionally, yes, this is kind of rushed because I want to get to the post-ME2 era because that is when Shepard actually gets affected by it all to a greater extent.**

**Disclaimer That Wasn't In Chapter One: I am not Bioware. I don't own Mass Effect. Wait, yes I do. I own five discs labelled Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 Disc One, Mass Effect 2 Disc Two, Mass Effect 3 Disc One and Mass Effect 3 Disc Two.**

**Omega Station**

The asari sitting on a balcony overlooking Afterlife noticed Shepard and her group walk in almost immediately. When they approached her, the two former Cerberus operatives stood at the bottom of the stairs while the ODSTs stood at attention next to an ODST that appeared to be part of the asari's guard. Shepard walked up the stairs and then sat down next to the asari at her prompting.

"So, what can I do for you, Commander?" the asari asked.

"You in charge here?" Shepard countered.

"Yes, I am Aria T'Loak. Until a few months ago, Omega had no official ruler and only one rule. Now, it has a ruler and two rules. I am its ruler and the rules are 'don't fuck with the Alliance' and, more importantly, don't. Fuck. With Aria. However, I'm sure you're here because you need something. So, what can I do for you, Commander?" Aria repeated.

"I'm after Doctor Mordin Solus and the vigilante known as Archangel," Shepard replied.

"In the case of Archangel, you and half of Omega. If you want him alive, you'll have to deal with the Blue Suns, Eclipse and Blood Pack. As for Solus, he's in the quarantine zone, trying to cure the plague. Some Alliance soldiers are with him. Need anything else?" Aria demanded.

"Only information on how to reach them," Shepard said.

"The mercs are recruiting freelancers in a private room down there. As for Doctor Solus, I'll have one of my people show you to the quarantine zone. If you need anything else, let me know," Aria told her, turning away.

Shepard stood up and walked back down the steps where the rest of the team met her.

"Right then, we're splitting up. Frost, Taylor, go get Doctor Solus. You're in charge, Frost. Sinclair, Lawson, with me, we're going after Archangel," Shepard ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Frost said, saluting before turning to leave, accompanied by Jacob.

_**SSV Normandy**_**, en route to Purgatory**

"Welcome aboard, Doctor Solus. Glad to have you with us," Shepard told the salarian as she shook his hand.

"Yes, glad to be here. Collectors shown to be threat to all with plague on Omega. The sooner they're dealt with, the sooner galaxy is safer again," Mordin answered.

"We've got some samples and data that we'd like you to look over once you're ready," Shepard informed him.

"Of course. Will get to work right away. Where is the laboratory?" Mordin asked.

"The lab is located out of the door and to the right, Doctor Solus. If you require any more equipment or any assistance, feel free to let me know," EDI's voice announced over the speakers.

"Hm, shipboard VI? No, shipboard VI would be unlikely to be of assistance in scientific matters. So, AI?" Mordin theorised, directing his last question to Shepard.

"Yes. EDI is our ships AI. She only runs analysis and operates the cyberwarfare suites so there's no risk of her venting the ship," Shepard joked.

"Wasn't worried. Alliance unlikely to give AI full control of ship, especially critical systems. May have systems that would allow the AI to do so in an emergency but would not allow it normally. At least, would assume so," Mordin explained.

"Well then, Doctor Solus, I'll let you get to work. Good luck and if you need anything let me or EDI know and we'll see what we can do," Shepard told the salarian.

"Of course, thank you. Will speak with you later, Shepard," Mordin said before leaving.

As the salarian left, Sinclair walked in. He saluted before speaking.

"Ma'am, Vakarian took a bad hit. Dr Chakwas has done all she can with the resources available to her but it could be a while before he's ready for combat," Sinclair explained.

Shepard was about to respond when the door slid open again, allowing Garrus Vakarian into the room.

"Shepard," Garrus greeted.

"Damn, I wasn't expecting him to be up and about yet. Tough son of a bitch… I like him already," Sinclair commented with a chuckle.

"Garrus. Good to see you're feeling fine," Shepard greeted her turian friend.

"Yes well, no one would give me a mirror. How bad is it?" Garrus asked.

"Hell Garrus, you were always ugly. Slap some face paint on and no one will see the difference," Shepard deadpanned.

"Ha- Ow. Don't make me laugh, my face is barely holding together as it is," Garrus groaned.

Sinclair snorted before saluting once more and leaving. Garrus watched him go before turning back to Shepard.

"To be honest, I'm more worried about you. Cerberus, Shepard? Really? You do remember what they did, don't you?" Garrus asked, concerned.

"We aren't Cerberus. The majority of the crew was but we answer to the Alliance. Either way, we're walking into hell so it's nice to have someone I know and trust by my side," Shepard said.

"You do realise that this plan has me walking into hell too? Just like old times, Shepard. I'm ready whenever you need me," Garrus told her before leaving.

_**SSV Valiant**_

The _SSV Valiant _and _SSV Orizaba_ emerged from the Relay in near the Fifth Fleet.

"Status report," Lasky demanded, concerned for his ship after her first Relay jump.

"All systems are green, no damage to any areas of the ship. We are good to go," Roland, the ship's prototype AI, reported.

Lasky nodded to the small yellow avatar next to him on the holographic tactical table. As the _Valiant_ followed the _Orizaba_ toward the Fifth Fleet, the communications officer spoke up.

"Captain Lasky, Admiral Hackett's saying he has new intel. Change of plans as a result; we're heading for Omega to defend it against the Hegemony," the lieutenant told him as the Fifth Fleet approached and the _Orizaba_ and _Valiant_ started to turn.

"Attacking Omega is insane. What is the Hegemony thinking?" Roland asked, confused.

"Who knows? Either way, prepare for combat. Omega is a single Relay jump away, I want to be ready to engage immediately," Lasky ordered.

**Omega Station**

Despite the ragtag fleet's best efforts, the Hegemony fleet was advancing on Omega. Aria stood in her command centre, watching as two dreadnoughts, forty cruisers and almost a hundred and thirty frigates ripped her small fleet to pieces. An asari ran up to her holding a datapad.

"The Relay's flaring. Something's coming through, could be more Hegemony forces," the asari reported, worried.

"Fine. Prepare-" Aria began before a shout from the sensor station interrupted her.

"It's the Alliance Fifth Fleet, accompanied by that new ship," the salarian reported.

"Hackett," Aria stated, almost sounding relieved.

_**SSV Valiant**_

As the supercarrier exited the Relay, she immediately readjusted her course to return to position. Normally, a dreadnought, a carrier, twenty cruisers and eighty frigates would have been utterly destroyed by the numerically superior batarian fleet. However, Hackett wasn't seen as the greatest tactician in the galaxy for nothing. Add the _SSV Valiant_ to the equation and the Hegemony fleet would have been better off running.

"Launch all fighters and target the nearest dreadnought with a HAVOK round, full power," Lasky ordered.

The massive ship shuddered slightly as one of its main guns fired a fifty-ton slug at almost 5,000,000ms-1 toward one of the enemy dreadnoughts. The batarian vessel didn't even have a chance. Sitting at the rear of the batarian fleet, it hadn't even had its shield raised. The round impacted the rear of the vessel and ploughed straight through and would have emerged from the other end. However, the HAVOK Nuclear Round, the most dangerous ship-mounted weapon known to man, was not finished. Once it reached the centre of the ship the slug detonated, sending massive chunks of the dreadnought flying in all directions, obliterating a nearby frigate.

While this occurred, the _Orizaba_ had fired on the other, also unshielded, dreadnought. The dreadnought in question took the shot to the engines from where it impacted the mass effect core, crippling the ship. Most of the Alliance frigates jumped to FTL, re-emerging in amongst their counterparts, resulting in a massive dogfight. Shortly after that, the fighters launched from the _Einstein_ and the _Valiant_ joined the fray. When the cruisers attempted to aid the frigates, they found themselves under fire from the Alliance dreadnought, supercarrier and cruisers. Now wary of the supercarrier's main gun, the Hegemony ships worked to evade the rounds fired. Then, three cruisers decided it would be a good idea to take it on in close quarters.

Big mistake.

When they exited FTL alongside the larger ship, they opened fire at close range. The _Valiant_'s GARDIAN lasers responded, blasting away at disruptor torpedo and ship alike. Then, the _Valiant_ fired her Archer Missile Pods. Each pod contained thirty slightly-smaller-than-normal disruptor torpedoes but each capable of punching a hole in the asari's new Silaris Armour. So when ten of these pods were fired at each batarian vessel, it was overkill taken to the extreme. Trying to track all three hundred missiles and shoot them down caused the targeting systems of the batarian cruisers GARDIANs to crash, leaving them wide open.

The first dozen or so impacted the shields of the cruisers before they fell, allowing the others to rip straight into the hull. The result bordered on cataclysmic; the cruisers weren't destroyed, they simply ceased to exist as over two hundred and eighty missiles released unstable mass effect fields onto the armour and then the insides of the ship.

"Captain, the Admiral wants us in the thick of it now that we've, and I quote, 'stopped playing with our food'," the communications officer reported, resulting in laughter from around the bridge.

"Understood. Helm, take us in at FTL. Weapons, ready Archers, GARDIANs and FENRISes," Lasky ordered, smiling.

A moment later, the _Valiant_ jumped to FTL. When she exited of the starboard side of a batarian cruiser, the crew of the ship in question had just enough time for an 'oh shit' moment before the comparatively massive vessel ploughed into their side. Kinetic barriers on the _Valiant_ flared as she crashed through the smaller vessel, splitting it in half in a large explosion. The _Valiant _cleared the wreckage without so much as a scratch on the paintwork.

As soon as she emerged from the other side, the _Valiant_ seemed to explode with weapons fire. Almost three thousand missiles were unleashed from the Archer Missile Pods, tearing ships apart on impact. Two FENRIS missiles streaked toward a cluster of frigates, detonating in a massive nuclear explosion on impact, wiping out the cluster. GARDIAN lasers ripped into the nearby vessels, bypassing shields and punching through armour with relative ease.

As the _Valiant_ seemed to explode with ammunition, the other Alliance ships continued to batter away at the Hegemony ships. Within minutes, the Alliance fleet had completely destroyed the batarian fleet at the cost of a cruiser and five frigates. The Fifth Fleet moved into defensive positions around Omega while shuttles and dropships moved into Omega itself to help deal with the batarian ground forces that had landed. Lasky pushed off the tactical table and smiled.

"Good work, ladies and gentlemen. First round's on me tonight," he told the crew, earning cheers.

_**SSV Normandy SR2**_

Shepard stepped into the comm. room as Hackett's hologram appeared.

"JJ, I think we have them. Horizon, a colony in the Traverse has just gone dark. In most cases, we arrive to late to do anything. Not this time. You're going in now and the frigates _SSV Culloden_, _SSV Somme_ and _SSV Ypres_ are en route and will arrive shortly after you do. Do you have a counter for these Seeker Swarms?" Hackett asked.

"Yes, we do. I'll send the information to the _Culloden_, _Somme_ and _Ypres_," Shepard told her uncle.

"Good. See you on the other side and good luck," Hackett told her before his hologram vanished.

"EDI, tell Joker to take us to Horizon. Immediately," Shepard ordered.

"Of course, Shepard. Would you like me to notify the ground team to prepare for combat?" EDI asked.

"Yes, all of them, EDI. And get the _Normandy_ ready for combat, just in case," Shepard instructed.

Within fifteen minutes, the _Normandy_ arrived at Horizon and the dropship left the shuttle bay. The dropship in question was a new Alliance Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, nicknamed a Lartie by some, and was capable of travelling through a vacuum with no problems, contrary to what its name would suggest. The dropship consisted of a main body with two cockpits (the front one for a pilot, the rear one for a gunner) on the slanted front and two wings that extended diagonally downward from the top of the craft at the back. Unlike most dropships and shuttles, the LAAT was heavily armed and armoured. Two super-heavy machine guns rested on top of the points where the wings met the main body of the vehicle while four air-to-air rockets were nestled under each wing. Two remote-controlled/automatic miniature GARDIAN laser turrets were mounted on either side of the nose as well as a remote-controlled/automatic medium machine gun turret on either wing.

As the dropship approached the landing zone, a large panel on either side slid out and back, allowing the ground team to jump out when they reached the LZ. The LAAT quickly rose up again and flew off so that it was far away enough so as to not attract attention but close enough to quickly provide support if needed. The team advanced through the colony, engaging any Collectors they came across. As the team approached an open square, their radios crackled into life.

"Commander Shepard, this is the _SSV Culloden_. ODSTs are in the tubes, where do you need them?" a voice asked.

Shepard looked into the overly full courtyard, the centre of which contained the targeting controls for the defence turrets, she made her decision.

"Shepard to _Culloden_, I need backup at my location. Can you provide?" Shepard responded.

"Affirmative, Commander. Helljumpers are en route with marines following behind. Good luck down there. _Culloden_, out," the voice concluded.

Moments later, streaks of fire appeared in the sky, racing toward the courtyard. As the Collectors turned to observe them, Shepard signalled her team to move into position. As the first pod hit the ground in the courtyard, Shepard's team opened fire. As each pod hit the ground in the courtyard, there was a moment's pause before the ODST inside leapt out of their pod and engaged the Collectors. Surrounded by Shepard's team on one side and half a dozen ODSTs scattered around the area, the Collectors fell quickly, leaving the courtyard empty except for the Alliance forces and their allies. One of the ODSTs approached Shepard, depolarising his visor as he approached.

"Commander Shepard, Gunnery Sergeant Michael Coulson, leader of the _Culloden_'s ODST squad. Where do you need us?" the Helljumper asked her.

"We need to hold this position until my ship's AI can calibrate the guns to drive that thing off," Shepard informed him, indicating the Collector ship.

"Got it. You heard the lady, defensive positions, boys and girls," Coulson ordered his squad.

The ODSTs spread out, forming a pentagram with one of them climbing onto the structure in the middle of the courtyard with a sniper rifle. Shepard's team joined them, covering every side of the structure and making it impossible for anyone to sneak up on them. Shepard let EDI into the system and the fun began.

**Reach, Epsilon Eridani System, Arcturus Stream**

Hackett stood in the room, watching the soldiers training outside. Despite some initial protests, the decision had been made on discovery not to colonise Epsilon Eridani despite Reach being a garden world. Then, about five years ago, the Alliance military had decided to take the system as a military system. Since then, Epsilon Eridani had become a military hub with shipyards springing up virtually overnight and military facilities on almost every planet in the system and even some asteroids. Reach had even recently become the unofficial heart of the Systems Alliance military, with the planet boasting more facilities than any system in the galaxy.

As he watched, a Heavy Assault Vehicle A6 Juggernaut drove by, accompanied by some tanks, APCs and marines, all on their way to a dusk training session. The 22 metre long vehicle, sometimes called a 'ground dreadnought', had become the Alliance's ground-based super weapon. Capable of carrying up to a company of soldiers, the Juggernaut was could reach speeds of up to 160kmh-1, making it perfect for spearheading an assault. Heavily armoured and shielded to the extent of being almost indestructible, the tank sported enough weapons to take on a small army plus a cockpit at either end. With a pair of ultra-heavy machine guns under each cockpit, two heavy machine guns on either sides of the cockpit, a GARDIAN laser on top as well as a light artillery cannon, it outgunned some of smallest warships in the galaxy. No sane Alliance officer ever tried to take on a Juggernaut without either more firepower than most frigates carried or another Juggernaut.

The door behind him slid open, letting a smartly dressed woman into the room. The woman in question was the head of Systems Alliance Military Intelligence, the rather secretive and dangerous intelligence service of the Alliance. Director Catherine Lowell was a relatively tall woman, only slightly shorter than the Fleet Admiral, with pure white hair, steel grey eyes and plenty of curves. She walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Hello there, honey. So, business or pleasure?" Catherine purred in his ear.

Hackett turned around, wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her lips before talking.

"Business… for now," Hackett responded, murmuring the last part in her ear suggestively.

"Looking forward to it," Catherine murmured.

They pulled apart, rather reluctantly, before sitting down on one of the benches. Catherine brought up her omnitool and brought up a report.

"Your 'special present' that you gave me is wonderful. Apply pressure to the right places and he sings like a choir. Most interesting is this," Catherine told Hackett.

She showed him a report on her omnitool. Hackett read it over and smiled.

"Is this accurate?" Hackett asked, almost not daring to believe the report.

"We mentioned it to some of our other 'guests' who verified it under duress. In other words, it's as accurate and as verified as I can make it," Catherine responded.

"This intel will prove most useful, Cathy, thank you," Hackett said before planting another kiss on her lips.

They spent the next hour discussing intelligence and other official matters before going to dinner. Once they retreated to Hackett's quarters, they sat and talked about personal things. After a while, Hackett went into his bathroom to begin preparing for bed. Once he emerged, he looked at the woman in his room and spoke.

"How long have you got before you need to be back on Vigilant Station?" Hackett asked.

Catherine walked toward him, starting to undo his jacket when she reached him.

"That depends on how long you have until you need to be back with the fleets," Catherine whispered seductively.

"I think they can cope for a day or two if I oversee them from here," Hackett muttered in response, nuzzling her neck as he pulled her suit jacket off her.

Catherine could only moan happily in response.

_**SSV Normandy SR2**_

After just over seven months of running around the galaxy preparing for the attack, the _Normandy_ was ready. And just as well, given that the Collectors had abducted the crew during an attack on the ship. The ship was briefly stopping off at Omega to make sure that they had everything they needed and to give the remaining crew some relaxation time, possibly their last.

So it was that Shepard found herself sitting in Afterlife with Malcolm Sinclair, Garrus Vakarian, Zaeed Massani, Urdnot Grunt, Jack and Jacob Taylor, swapping stories.

"… and I was the only one to make it out alive to get the reward," Zaeed concluded.

"You got some good stories, Massani. What about you, Sinclair? Got any good ones?" Jack asked, obviously not expecting much.

"Well, there was one operation that stands out. I was part of a boarding action. You might have heard of it; OPERATION: ANVIL," Sinclair deadpanned, earning gasps of shock from most of the others at the table.

"You're joking? OPERATION: ANVIL?" Garrus exclaimed, shocked.

"Bullshit. No way you were on ANVIL," Jack shouted at the same time.

"Sorry, but what's OPERATION: ANVIL?" Shepard asked, confused, as was Grunt.

"It's seen as the defining point of the whole goddamn war. Hackett lured the batarians to an empty system and ambushed them. The Second and Fifth Fleets jumped them, wiped them out almost to a goddamn man. The Alliance lost less than four hundred soldiers and most of those were lost capturing the batarians' goddamn dreadnought," Zaeed explained.

"Many people consider it a demonstration of what humanity was capable of. More than that, it was a demonstration of Hackett's tactical ability. I mean, no one else had ever even considered using asteroid belts as a trap. He even hid the Fifth Fleet in the super-powerful magnetic field of a gas giant," Garrus explained, sounding awed.

"It was an example of the whole war really. Hackett's fleets have rarely actually faced the Hegemony fleets in straight up combat. The battle here three months ago was only about the fifth time in the whole war the two have met in a straight up fight. Every other time, Hackett's lured them into traps, ambushes or corners. He uses everything he finds on a battlefield, from asteroid belts to the ship wreckage from a battle of the Krogan Rebellions," Jacob added, shaking his head in amazement.

"Yeah, it's fucking amazing. When the war started, everyone thought the Alliance would get absolutely fucking annihilated. Then Fleet Admiral Hackett started to work his magic and managed to cut the batarian fleets down to such an extent in so short a time that everyone realized that the Alliance was actually fucking competent and could actually win the fucking war," Jack pointed out, actually sounding like she respected Hackett.

The conversation continued for a bit on this line before turning to other topics. After a while, Shepard downed the last of her drink before standing up. Garrus looked up at her, visibly confused.

"Where're you going, Shepard?" the turian asked, attracting the attention of the others.

The Commander didn't respond, just continuing to walk toward Aria's booth. Once she reached Aria, Shepard didn't pause at all, stepping up to Aria. Shepard reached down, grabbed Aria by the front of her jacket, pulled her up and kissed her on the lips. While no one else in the club noticed, Aria's guards and Shepard's team were shocked to silence. When Shepard pulled back, she said something to the Pirate Queen of Omega that made the asari pause. Then, in a move that shocked those watching, Aria grabbed Shepard by the buttocks and the two started kissing again. After a minute, the two moved out of sight of the rest of the club.

"Well, fuck," Jack muttered, shocked.

"I think that's exactly what they're going to be doing," Sinclair remarked.

**Galactic Core**

The Fifth Fleet erupted from the Omega 4 Relay, with the _SSV Valiant_ in the lead. The massive vessel ploughed through the debris field, clearing a path for the ships following it. Possibly the most well-known fleet in the Alliance moved toward the Collector Base, blasting debris away as it went. As soon as they were close enough, dropships raced from the ships toward the Collector Base. A pair of frigates moved in toward the crashed _SSV Normandy SR2 _to provide assistance while the other ships assumed blockade positions around the station.

**Collector Base**

With her crew released from the pods, Shepard contemplated her next move. While the Alliance should have arrived, she had no way of knowing if that was the case. Her crew needed to get back to the _Normandy_ but they needed to get to the heart of the station. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an explosion on the other side of the door. The ground team immediately positioned themselves between the crew and the door, guns aimed at the door. There was another explosion followed by silence.

Then, something knocked on the door. There was a distinct pattern to the knocking, as they noticed when it repeated after a moment's pause.

"Commander, I recognize that. That's Morse Code," Sinclair reported, lowering his gun.

"Morse Code? No one uses that any more. I don't even know it," Miranda retorted.

"It is compulsory for ODSTs. Which is coincidentally what the message is. Whoever is on the other side is telling us they are an ODST," Frost pointed out, also having lowered her gun.

"Open the door," Shepard ordered.

Tali ran over to obey, tapping away at the controls. When the doors opened, two platoons of ODSTs rushed in, guns ready. They spread out, covering all directions quickly and efficiently. One of them broke off from the others and walked toward them. As he approached, Frost and Sinclair saluted.

"Commander Shepard, glad to see you're still alive," Major Carlisle commented by way of greeting.

"Major Carlisle. I take it by your presence that the Alliance has arrived?" Shepard asked, more to make sure than anything else.

"Yup. Fifth Fleet's in blockade positions around the base and ground forces have been deployed," Carlisle reported.

Shepard nodded before remembering the situation.

"My crew needs to get back to the _Normandy_. Any ideas?" Shepard asked the senior officer.

"Yeah, walk. The way we came is clear and we came in past the _Normandy_. With all that's going on around the station, I doubt they'll come under attack," Carlisle pointed out.

Another ODST walked over to join the conversation.

"Sir, we could send some of the wounded with them. They're wounded enough that they could be a liability in a big fight but they should be fine for escort," the woman suggested.

"Good idea, Lieutenant. We'll roll with that. Get it organised," Carlisle ordered.

The trooper rushed off to follow his orders.

"She's a good trooper, that one. If anything happens to my second in command, she's taking his place," Carlisle commented to Shepard once the trooper was out of earshot.

Once the _Normandy_'s crew and their escort of four troopers had left, the others moved further into the station. Almost two platoons of ODSTs plus Shepard's team proved capable of easily tearing their way through any Collectors that crossed their path. Once the combined force reached the central chamber, they split up. Shepard's team continued on, using one of the platforms, while the ODSTs held position to keep the Collectors from overwhelming Shepard.

After a while of gunning down one Collector after another, the call came through for all ground forces to withdraw. After confirming the order, the ODSTs started fighting their way back out, eventually getting back to their dropships, which took them back to the _Orizaba_. Once onboard, Carlisle looked over the casualty report. Noticing one name in particular, Carlisle went to find someone. Eventually, he found the 1st Lieutenant that had accompanied him on the base.

"Lieutenant, I'd like a word in private," Carlisle told her, indicating the door out of the rec room.

The woman stood up, red-brown hair glistening in the light, brown eyes clearly displaying her confusion. Once outside, Carlisle turned to her and yanked her insignia from her chest, much to her shock and horror.

"The Captain was unfortunately one of the casualties of the battle. This leaves me in need of a second in command. So, congratulations, _Captain_ Palmer," Carlisle said, pinning a Marine Captain's insignia to her chest before turning and walking back the way he came, leaving a shocked Sarah Palmer in his wake.


End file.
